The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-03-11
HUNDREDS 81 coPPERs-
A Psnnsyivanis PhyslcIas's Contr.Dut.o
70 she National Museum.

to she National Museum.
THAT is. / have no doubt. the most
complete collection Of American cents
extant." remarked the numismatist at
the National Museum 70 a reporter. re-
ferring to a collection Of American
cents Just presented TO the museum BY
Doctor L T. Nagle. Of Pennsylvania
Though there are only about fom
hundred Of these pennies. . coin COZ
lector would value them at several hun
dreds Of dollars.
doctor Maggie has been collecting
them for years." said the numismatist-
He has probably examined a good
many Ions Of coins Il pick out these;
in fact, scrutinized every penny he has
ever seem"
Doctor Nagle's collection Of s'cop-
pers'f has been installed in q large case
in the hall devoted 10 the exhibition Of
historical objects. Each one has q la
bel attached. giving the date and de-
scribing the popularity Of the penny.
BY which il i known and classified BY
the numismatist. For instance. one
label says: IT in tent inclined 70 left"
Another says simply .'elevcn berries"
meaning that the man who engraved
the die cut eleven berries in the wreath
The series embraces nearly every
issue Of each year since the United
States Mint was established in 1873 to
the present date. The cents issued
during the first few years are dis
ftingulshed mainly BY the fact that the
Liberty head upon them does not wear
a Liberty cap but carries that article Of
apparel on the end Of pole which Is
swung over her shoulder. In 1903. the
cap and pole we're dropped out. and
Liberty appeared with acirclet or chap
let about her brow. inscribed with the
word Liberty" This fashion pre-
vailed down to the day when the coin
age Of the big copper rents ceased in
1856, and the smaller cents Of alloyed
metal were issued The first Of the
small cents was issued in that year, and
had on its reverse the image Of IN eagle
in fight Subsequently the Indian
head. which has continued in vogue
appeared
The collection. while Of historical
value. illustrates the fine distinctions
made by numismatists. The coinage
II one year will be divided into several
varieties a variety may owe is origin
% the accident Of : broken die. the
cent showing on it, face . slight mutt
lation that would hardly be discovered
with = microscope Then varieties
were produced also by the within Of the
dic-sinker or engraver who desired I o
put his ''fecit'' Or private mark on his
work. This he did BY emitting or add
ing = berry to the wreath, giving q lit
tie curl or two TO the stem. dcdectinga
letter somewhat, or making some other
modification which the casual observer
would never notice. but the numismatic
will u onc recognize.
Two big copper cents. issued in 1917.
are among the rarest in the collection.
These have the liberty heads well de-
fined; but on the top Of the head. over
the liberty cap. isa small protruber-
ance. which. under = microscope, ap-
pears = : crown- DR.. maggie says this
Is . representation d the British
crown, and was cut in the die By IN
cngravcr q British prcctivities. who
thus covertly sct the British crown over
the American liberty head--Wdsking-
ton Star.
The Indian Conference Or the Nethe